Furnace-charging mechanism.



D. BAKER. FURNACE CHARGING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1907.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

5 SHIIETSSHEET 1.

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'1). BAKER. FURNACE CHARGING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13,1907, 909,049.

Patented J an. 5, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

D. BAKER. FURNACE CHARGING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAYl3,1EJO7.

5 SHEETS SEEET 3.

Patented Jan. 5.1909.

D. BAKER. FURNAOP CHARGING MECHANISM. APPLIUATIUN FILED MAY13,1UOT.

Patented Jan 5, 190.)v

314w utoz D. BAKER. FURNACE CHARGING MECHANISM.

APBLIOATION FILED lflA-Y 13, 1907.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

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a I t Witweoam 1n van oz To all whom, it may concern;

' pecific io UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FUBNA Gil-CHARGING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, lbou.

Application filed May 13, 1307. Serial No. 373,263.

Be it known that I, DAVID BAKER, of Philadel hia, county of Philadelphia, and State of ennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Furnace-Charging Mechanism, of the following is a This invention relates to mechanism for charging blast furnaces, the aim being to secure a uniform distribution of the stock as it is deposited in the furnace, so as to avoid the objections attending the sorting of the stock, that is, the separation of the lumps and fines.

The present invention relates more particularly to that type of charging mechanism embodying a deflecting device, acting to direct the successive skip ear loads of stock laterally to diiferentpoints in the main hopper, and the invention consists in various improvements in mechanism of this character designed to render the distributing operation uniform and effective and automatically controlled by the skip car hoistingmechanism This. invention consists also in improved means for o crating the deflecting device to vary the irection of flow of stock in its passage to the main hopper.

The invention consists also in improved means for supporting the main bell; and in plate 4 containing a central improvements in the form of the superstructure, whereby it is adapted to give proper support tothe operative parts of the mechanism at the top of the furnace.

In the accompanying draningsz-Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper end.,of a blast furnace e nipped with my improved distributing mec anism, parts being shown in vertical section. Fig. 2 is an elevationof the same as viewed from the side, looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the some. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View through the preferred form of the c linder for operating the deflecting plate and gas seal bell, the same being on an enlarged scale. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is a top plan view. Fig. 7 i a horizontal sectional plan view through the same on the line 7--7 of Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 8 is a siu'iilar view on the line 88 of Fig. 4. Fig. 9 is a vertical longitudinal section through an operatin cylinder in modified form. Figs. 10, 11 an Referring to the dravringfiu-l represents the upper or receiving end 0 a blast furnace provided with the usual main hopper 2, closed at its lower end by a main distributing bell 3, and at its upper end by a cover opening, from which rises a receiving hopper 5, cyhndrical at its lower end and having its forward upper portion inclined upwardly and v idencd, as at 6, where it receives the material from the skip car 7. The lower end of the receiv ing hopper, where it communicates with the main hopper, is adapted to be closed b a gas seal, in the form of a conical hi 8 movable vertically to open and closed si.- tions respectively, and also movable zontally around a vertical axis for the purpose presently to be. described. This as sea] bell is so operated, as w ll be mo; fuily described later on, that it normally'is 1n lowered and open position when the steel; is charged into the receiving hop, .er, and is raised to closed position after e char 9 has entered the main hopper, and when t e contents of the main hopper are discharged in? the furnace by the opening of the main The as seal hell 8 is so formed on its upper sur iace, that when the stock from the skip car falls on it, the stock will be directed to one side and will flow laterally into the main hopper and be accumulated at one side therein. This action is effected referably by the provision of a deflecting p ate 9 extending upwardly in an oblique plane from theapcx of the bell from one side, and having its upper edge shaped to'conform to the interior curvature of tie cylindrical portion of the hopper, and extending u wardly u ithin the hopper when the bell IS in owcred position, as indicated in Fig. 1. The plate 18 braced and held firmly in position on the hell, by means of a web or bracket 10, ex? tending upwardly from the surface of the bell and bearing against the under side of the plate. The deflecting late thus a, rranged and disposed within t e lower cylindrical portion of the receiving hopper, prel clined girders 12 and 13 of the A-frame. The

sents a downwardly inclined surface, which nill act to direct the stock falling thereon from the skip ear, to one side, and by turning the bell and plate around horizontally on a vertical axis, the plate occupying different positions in the hopper, u ill cause the stock to flow to correspondingly different parts of the main hopper.

'l he superstructure of the furnace, which gives'support to the bell operating and supporting mechanism, the hoist sheave and skip car tracks, is formed mainly by two pairs of I-beam girders 12 and 13, the former extending from the forward side of the top platform upwardly at an inclination and terminating vertieally over the center of the furnace, and the latter extending upwardly from the opposite side of the platform to the upper ends of the girders 12, to which they are firmly fastened by appropriate means, this arrangement constituting a frame or structure of A-form. 'lhe girders 12 are continued downward to the base of the furnace and give support to the usual track rails for the ski cars, viliich track rails are deflected lateral y at their upper ends, as at 14, and terminate adjacent the front edge of the receiving hopper, so as to support the skip car in its dumping position, as Sl'lOVlIl in Fig. 1.

The upper sheave, over which the skip car hoisting rope passes, is indicated at 15, being arranged in a vertical position a ith its axle mounted in bearings 15 sustained on parallel bars 15 connected at their upper and lover ends res ectively, to horizontal beanis 15, fastener at their ends to the girders 12 near the it per ends of the satre.

The main distributing hell 3, before alluded to, is suspended by means of two vertical rods 16 (lig. 2) from theinner end of a rectangular frame comprising two horizontal parallel bars 16, connected together at their rear ends by a cross -picce 16 and extending at the outer sides of the girders 13, to which the frame is pivoted on a horizontal transverse axis, formed 1) a horizontal pivoting; bolt 16" extending through the two bars of the frame and through bearings lfi sustained ystrap bolts 16,fastened to the girders. The ivoting bolt 16" is removable from the bearings and the frame, so that the latter may be readily removed when desired, for repairs, or

for gainingacccss to the mechanism of the furnace, or for other purposes.

The up )(I gas seal hell 8, carrying the deflecting p ate, is fixed to the lower end of a stem or rod 1T,cxtending vertically upward and connected ith a piston rod 18, carrying a piston 1'.) (Mg. 1) mounted in a cylinder 20, sustained in a vertical position by two crossbars ll, scntcd upon two transversely arranged horizontal beams 22, extending between and connected at their ends to the in- ,ribs 33, extending ongitudinally from op beams 22 are supported in turn by two horizontal beams 23, extending beneath them at right angles and suitably supported at their ends from the platform of the furnace.

'l he piston is raised by the admission of pressure a ithin the lower end of the cylinder, and acts to raise and close the gas seal bell against the lower end of the receiving hopper, the opening of the bell being effected by cutting off the pressure from the cylinder and opening the lower end of the same to the exhaust, with the result that the piston will move downward by the weight of the bell connected therewith.

'1 he piston and cylinder are so constructed relatively, that on the downward movement of the former, when the bell is lowered to open position, the piston and its rod and connected bell, was ill be given automatically a partial revolution; and when the piston is raised to close the hell, it will be firmly and positively held against back movement, the result of these actions being that, by the successive opening operations of the bell, the deflecting plate u Ill be shifted around viith the bell to different positions in the receiving ho per, thus causing each discharge of materia from the ski car to flow in different di rectipns and to e accumulated at different and changing points in the main hop er. In the preferred form of the parts for t us causing the piston to turn automatically when it moves downward, the piston has extending from its upper side a tubular stem 30, projecting into a cylindrical surrounding casing 31, fixed to the upper end of the cylinder 20. 'l he stem slides through a central opening in a nut 32 mounted so as to turn in the up er end of the cylinder 20, which opening is ormed at diametrically opposite sides with radial grooves or recesses 32' (see Fig. 8) in which slidin ly fit spiral or inclined 0- site sides of the stem. Means are prov! ed for allov ing the nut to rotate during the rise of the iston, and for holding it against rotation w lCIl the piston descends, nith the result that during the latter movement, the piston vrill be revolved relatively to the nut y the passage of the s iral ribs through the same, so that the def ectin plate ill be shifted horizontally;butit\ i notbcehangrd in position horizontally when the piston rises. he means for effecting these actions comprises ratchet teeth 34, on the upper end of the nut, engaged by a number of vertically arrangedfiravitating par ls 3), in the present instance fiix, square in cross-section and mounted to reciprocate freelv in correspondingly formed openings in save is or bosscs35; forrned externally on the casing 20.at its base. 'lhe teeth 34 are formed each r ith an inclined face, and an abrupt vertical face, and the ends of the pan ls are shaped so as to 'sconds and the lower nut is held, and there cooperate with the teeth to hold the nut when the latter tends to move in one direction, and permit the nut to rotate in the op l positc direction. The relation of the cooperl ating teeth and awls to the direction of in l clination ol' the ribs 33 is such, that when the stem moves downward through the nut, the pawls and teeth will interlock and form a clutch Connection, holding the nut against rotation andgcausing a relative turning movement to be imparted to the stem and the piston and deflector plate connected therewith. When, however, the piston rises, the inclined faces of the teeth on the nut ill ride beneath the end of the pawls and will lift the latter to disengaging position, and the nut being thus released, it will be turnedaround by the inclined ribs, andthe piston will not be changed in position around a vertical axis.

The paw ls are so spaced in relation to the teeth on the nut that they will drop into locking engageln nt with the teeth one after another or succc sively, consequently, there will be practically no back-lash in the movement of the nut; and being independent of each other, the clogging orsticking of one, and its failure to engage the teeth on the nut, will not interfere 1th the action of the others, hence, there vi ill always be one or more of the pawls in operation.

In order that during the rise of the piston, it w ill be positivel held against back movement, I mount in carings at the upper end of the casing 31, a second rotatable nut 42 fixed to the upper end of a squared rod 42, extending downward within the casing and into the tubular stem 30, the upper end of the internal opening in the stem being squared so as to slidingly fit the rod, and the arrangement being such that the stem w ill slide up and down on the rod as the piston moves in corresponding directions. Ratchet teeth 42 are formed on the upper side of nut 42 similar to those on the low er nut, but facing in the opposite direction, w hich teeth are engaged by a number of vertically arranged gravitating pan ls 42 similar in form and arrangement to those first described, which pm ls are mounted in bosses 42 forpicd externally on the casing at its upper em By reason of the op ositc arrangement of the ratchet teeth on tie uppe n t to those on the lower nut, the upper nut will be held against rotation by its paw ls when the lower nut is turned, and the squared rod will also be held, so that while the stem may slide up and down on the rod, it will by reason of the squared form of the rod, be held ai'ainst bark movement. When. however, the piston dois imparted a rotnrr llnlYPlllOlll to the stem, the upper nut will to released and will not therefore lntcrlero with the turning movement of the stem It will be seen, therefore, that while the ratchet mechanism at the lower end of the casing is engaged to cause the piston to turn, the ratchet mechanism at the opposite end of the casing is disengaged so as to admit of the free turning movement of the stem. Vl hen, however, the lower ratchet mechanism is disengaged on the rise of the piston, the upper mechanism will be engaged and will effectually prevent any back rotation of the stem. In this manner, the deflecting plate carried by the bell, will be positively rotated a partial revolution on each opening movement of the bell, and

will be held against back motion between each turning movement.

In lugs. 9, 10, 11 and 12, I have shown an operating cylinder in slightly modified form embodying, as in the first instance, a rotating iston, and two ratchet mechanisms control ing'the turning movements of the piston, the detailed form, however, of these parts being diferent. lieferr'ing to these figures, it will be seen that there projects from the upper side of the iston, arod 3O projecting into a cylindrica surrounding casing 31, fixed to the upper end of the cylinder. The rod slides through a central opening in a nut 32 mounted so as to turn in the upper end of the cylinder, which opening is formed at diametrically opposite "sides with radial rooves or recesses 32?, in which slidingly t inclined ribs 33", projecting from o posite sides of the rod. 'lhe means for alowin the'nut to rotate during the rise of the piston and for holding it against rotation when the piston moves downward, comprises ratchet teeth 34 on the nut, with which cooperate oppositely facing ratchet teeth 35 on the lower end of a collar interlocked with the casing 31 so as to be capable of a slight vertical motion only suflicient to disengage the teeth. The relation of these cooperating teeth to the direction of inclination to the ribs 33*, is such that when the rod moves downward through the nut, the teeth will interlock and form a clutch connection be tween the sleeve and nut, holding the latter against rotation and causing a relative turning movement to be imparted to the rod. When, however, the iston rises; the in clined faces of the tcet on the nut will ride beneath those on the collar and will lift the latter to disengaging position, and the nut being no longer held, it will he turned around by the inclined ribs, and the piston will not be changed in posit ion around a vertical axis. The vertical movement of the collar is limited by a flange 76 on its lower end engaging a. shoulder 77 on the casing. lhe means for holding the rod against back movement when the iston rises, comprises a collar 78 keyed to t 1e rod and formed with a flange 70 i having ratchet teeth on its upper face. Eni circling tlns collar 15 a loose sleeve 80 provided on its lower end with ratchet teeth 81 the furnace.

' to it, by gears 6;) and 60",

to cooperate with those on the flange 79, the teeth facing in opposite directions, so that they will lock in one direction only. The sleeve is formed on opposite sides with ribs 81, engaging slidingly in grooves in the casing, whereby the sleeve may slide up and down in the casing as the rod moves up and down, but will be prevented from turning around therein. Ihe sleeve is capable of a slight vertical movement on the collar sul'licient to disengage the teeth, which movement is controlled by the upper end of the sleeve encountering a stop washer 82 fixed to the rod. '1 he relation of the parts is such that when the rod moves downward and is turned by the ratchet mechanism first described, and opens the gas seal bell, the inclined faces of the teeth on flange 79 will act against the other teeth and lift the sleeveSU to disengage the teeth, so that the teeth on the collar will click by those on the sleeve. When, however, the iston rises to close the bell, any tendency oi the rod to move back will act to engage the teeth, and as the sleeve is held against rotativo movement by ribs 82, it will act as a stop on the collar and will eil'ectually prevent the same from turning around.

I propose to control the opening and closing movements of the gas seal 8, and the shifting of the same to vary the position of the deflector plate, by automatic means operated from the hoisting mechanism, the parts being so timed in their actions that the seal will be raised to closed position just before the skip car reaches the bottom of the hoist, and will be lowered to open position, and the deflector plate turned, when the car with its lead begins to ascend. As a result, the bell will be opened when the contents of the car. are discharged into the receiving hopper, and it will be closed when the skip car is receiving its lead, at which time the main bell may be opened to discharge the contents of the main hopper into I prefer to ei'fiect these 0 erations by a clutch mechanism actuator by the hoist engine or motor, and operatively connected with valve mechanism controlling the admission of pressure to and the exhaust from the operating 0 'linder 20. '1 his controlling mechanism is il ustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, where it will be seen that the hoist-engine operating shaft 60 has geared a horizontal shaft 61, mounted in bearings 61 on the engine frame, and having its end extended outward and formed with a food screw 61', carrying an outer fixed sleeve 61' and an inner fixed sleeve 61, provided each with a tooth or shoulder 61. Mounted on the food screw between the two 'lixcd collars, is a traveling nut 63, adapted by the rotation of the shaft, to travel to the right or left according to the direction of rotation, and

provided on its side with a tooth or shoulder 63 arranged to cooperate with the tooth on the fixed nut 61, for the purpose presently to be described lhe travelin nut is formed with an arm 63", connected y link 63 with the outer end of an arm 63 whose inner end is fixed to an oscillating valve 64 arranged in a valve casing 64. casing communicates b Y pipe 65 with the source of pressure, in t e resent instance steam; by pi e 66 with the ower end of the operating 0 inder 20; and by pipe 67 with t e externa atmosphere to exhaust the cylinder. 'l he valve 18 formed with a port 64 which when the valve is in one position, will establish communication between the source of pressure and the operating cylinder, and when in another position will establish communication between the operatixw cylinder and the external atmosphere. 'The valve is acted on by a weight 68 on an arm fixed to the same, which weight tends to hold the valve in such position that the source of ressure will be cut oil and the cylinder will e opened to exhaust, in which position of the arts, the bell will be opened.

T 0 form, construction and relation of the parts described are such that the traveling nut 63 will reach the fixed lug 61 which rotates in the direction of the arrow in l ig. 8, just before the skip car arrives at the bottom of the hoist, and the lug 61 on the fixed collar 61 will engage the lug 63" on the traveling nut, with the result that the latter will be turned on the feed screw in the direction of movement of the collar, which action will move arm 63 in the direction of the arrow in Pig. 13, and this movement v'ill, through the medium of the link 63 and arm 63, oscillate the valve 64 against the influence of the weight 68, carrying it to the position where its ort will establish communication between t e source of pres- .sure and the lower end of the operating cylinder 20, resulting in the rise of the piston and the closing of the gas seal. B the time these operations are complete(. the hoist mechanism has come to a rest and the skip car is receiving its lead. The hoist engine is now started in reverse direction to carry the car to the top of the furnace, and as it begins to move, the shaft 61 will be turned in a direction opposite to its movement when the car descended, and as it begins its movement, the lug 61", on fixed collar 61 disengages and releases lug 63 on the traveling nut 63, thereby permi ting the weight 68 to automatically throw the oscillating valve downward to a position where the source of pressure is cut oil and the cylinder is opened to exhaust through pipes 66 and 67, the result being that the piston will be moved downwardly by the weight of the bell and the latter opened. During the rotation of the feeding screw, as

The valve the the tram nut moves to the left, the bellremeining b pened, and the valve being heldrrn the position described lg the weight 68. -'When the car arrives at 0 top of the furnace and runs onto the track 1% to discharge its contents into the receivmghopper, the operation of the 01st engine is stopped, an on being rcversed, the car descends and the traveling nut moves again to the right, and just before the car reaches the bottom of the hoist, the nut is operated by the fixed collar and the valve again shifted to admit pressure to the cylinder and closes the bell, as before de scribed. These operations are repeated, the bellbeing automaticall closed and o ened as the car reaches the ottom oi the oist,

' and as it be ins its ascent with its load.

effected m any appropriate manner, but I,

prefer totemploy an air 0 linder 70, sustained near the base of the mace and con-, taining a piston 71 connected by vertical, rod 72 with the cross-bar 16", at the rear end of the rectangular frame, from which the main bell is suspended, the admission of pressure above the piston causing the bell to e raised to closed position, and the exhaust of the cylinder permitting the bell to be opened by its own weight.

Havin thus described my invention, what I c aim is 1. In a furnace charging device, the combination of a hoist mechanism, a gas-seal bell movable vertically to open and closed positions and movable also horizontally around a. vertical axis, a deflector plate carried by the bell, power means for moving the bell vertically and horizontally, and means operated by the hoist mechanism for controlling automatically the actuation of the power means. a

2. In a furnace charging mechanism, the combination of a receiving hopper, a deflector late movable horizontally around a vertica axis and adapted to direct the charging materials enterlng the hopper to one side, a cylinder sustained in vertical position above the hopper, -a piston therein operatively connected with the deflector plate, and means for positively moving said piston around a vertical axis to vary the position of the deflector plate.

3. In a furnace charging mechanism, the combination of a receiving hopper a deflector plate movable around a vertical axis and adapted to direct the charging materials entering the hopper to one side, an operating cylinder sustained in a vertical position are: t e hopper, a piston therein movable vertically an connected with the deflector plate, and means controlled by the vertical movement of the piston for turning the same around horizontally.

4. In a furnace charging mechanism, the combination of a receiving hopper, a deflec tor plate adapted to direct the charging materials to one side and movable around a vertical axis, a cylinder arranged verticall over the hopper, a piston therein movabll; vertically, connections between the iston and the deflector plate, means contro ed by the vertical movement of the piston for impartin to the same a partial revolution aroun a vertical axis, and means for positivclg holding the piston against back movemen 5. lip a furnace charging mechanismythe combination of a receiving hopper, adefieo to)? plate adapted to direct the chargi matcrials to one side and movable aroun horihontally to vary the direction of flow, a cyl- -1nder arranged inn vertical position above the hopper, a piston movable vertically therein, a piston rod connected with the piston and with the deflector plate, a stem extending from the piston upwardl and provided with an inclined longitudinally extending rib, a rotative nut sustained against vertical movement and formed with an opening to receive. the stem and with a recess to receive the rib on the stem, means for holding said nut against rotation when the stem moves in one direction, and means for permitting the nut to rotate when the stern moves in the opposite direction; whereb during the movement of the stem in one direction, it will be turned automatically a partial revolution, and when moved in the opposite direction, it willnot be changed in position around a vertical axis.

6. In a furnace charging mechanism, the combination of a receiving hopper, a deflector plate adapted to direct the charging ma terials to one side and movable around horizontally to vary the direction of How, a vertically arranged c linder, a piston movable therein,- a depen in piston rod connected with the deflector p ate, a stem extending vertically from the opposite side of the piston, an inclined rib extending longitudinally on the stem, a rotative nut sustained against vertical movement and provided with an opening to receive the stem and with a recess to receive the rib, means for holding the nut against rotative movement when the stem moves in one direction; whereby the latter will be automatically turned a partial revolution, means for releasin the nut when the stem moves in the other direction, and means combination of a receiving ho per a deflector plate adapted to direct t e charging materials to one side and movable around horizontally to vary the direction of flow, a vertically arranged cylinder, a piston, a depending piston rod connected with the deector p ate, a stem extending upwardly from the piston and provided with inclined ribs, a rotative nut having an opening to receive the rod and a recess to receive the rib, ratchet teeth on the nut, and a series of vertically arranged gravitating pawls adapted to engage the ratchet teeth.

8. In a furnace charging mechanism, the combination of a receiving ho )per, a deflector late adapted to direct the charging materias to one side and movable around horizontally to vary the direction of flow, a vertically arranged cylinder, a piston a depending iston rod connected with the deflector p ate, a stem extending upwardly from the piston and provided with inclined ribs, a rotative nut having an opening to receive the stem and recesses to receive the ribs, ratchet teeth on the nut, and a series of vertically arranged gravitating pawls spaced with relation to the teeth so as to interlock with the same in succession.

9. In a furnace charging mecha.nism,the combination'of a receiving ho per a deflector plate adapted to direct t 1e chargin materials to one side 'and movable aroun horizontally to vary the direction of flow, a vertically arranged cylinder, a piston, a depending )iston rod connected with the deector p ate, a stem extending upwardly from the piston and provided with an inclined rib, a rotative nut having an opening to receive the stem and a recess to receive the rib, means for locking the nut against rotative movement in one direction only, a depending rotative rod slidingly interlocked with the stem, and means for locking the rod ,llgtltlllSl/ rotative niovemei'it in one direction on y.

111 testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this 19th day of April, 1907, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

DAV 1D BAKER.

Witnesses LOUISE B. Monms, C. B. BROWN. 

